Can I run an online store without registering a business?
Poland's unregistered activity lets you sell online without a CEIDG entry. The relief covers registration and social security only — your consumer-law duties are identical to a registered company's.
Short answer
- Yes, an online store can be run as unregistered activity.
- In 2026 the income cap is settled quarterly and equals PLN 10,813.50, i.e. 225% of the minimum wage.
- You must not have run a registered business in the previous 60 months.
- Goods requiring a licence, permit or regulated-activity entry are excluded.
- Consumer duties — terms, the 14-day withdrawal right, complaints — apply exactly as to a company.
Unregistered activity vs. a CEIDG business
What differs and what does not
| Area | Unregistered activity | Sole trader in CEIDG |
|---|---|---|
| Income cap | PLN 10,813.50 per quarter (2026) | No cap |
| Social security | None | Mandatory, with start-up reliefs |
| Income tax | Tax scale, settled in the annual return | Scale, flat rate or lump sum |
| Consumer duties | Identical to a company | Identical |
| Sales document | VAT-free invoice on the buyer's request | Invoice or receipt |
Before you list the first product
- Compute the cap from amounts due, not from cash actually received.
- Keep a simplified sales record — one line per day is enough.
- Publish terms, a privacy policy and withdrawal-right information.
- Give your name, address and e-mail as seller details.
- Accept only cashless payments (bank transfer or card) if you want to avoid a fiscal cash register.
Common mistakes
- Measuring the cap by money received instead of income due.
- Exceeding the cap without registering in CEIDG within 7 days.
- Assuming that having no company waives withdrawal and complaint duties — it does not.
- Taking cash on delivery, which forfeits the cash-register exemption.
How 4shopy helps
- Terms, privacy policy and withdrawal notice ship as ready pages linked from the footer.
- The panel shows quarter-to-date sales, so you see the cap approaching.
- You can export orders to a file and hand it to your accountant for the annual return.
- You can switch cash on delivery off in the payment settings; card and bank transfer remain, so the cash-register exemption stays intact.